Method of basing electrical devices

ABSTRACT

A method of electrically connecting an outer wire lead of an electric lamp to the metal shell of the base thereof by flattening a section of the wire lead and soldering the flattened section flatwise to the inner side of the base shell rim.

States Patent ,1191

1; W 0 mi 11 1e [11] 3,785,020 was Jan. 15, 1974 [54] METHOD OF BASINGELECTRICAL 3,172,455 3/1965 Rively et al 72/323 x D S 3,047,765 7/1962Vichill 313/318 [75] Inventor: Steve Burns, Memphis, Tenn. FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: General Electric Company, 611,30412/1960 Canada 29/25.11

Schenectady, NY.

Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham [22] Ffled' 1971 AssistantExaminer.l. W. Davie [21] Appl. N0.: 197,662 Att0rney.lames J. Lazna etal.

[52] U.S. C1. 29/25.13, 313/315 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. H0lj 9/18 [58]Field of Search 29/251 1, 25.13; A metlmd elecmcally cmmectmg lead313/315, 318 of an electric lamp to the metal shell of the base thereofby flattening a section of the wire lead and sol- [56] References Citeddering the flattened section flatwise to the inner side UNITED STATESPATENTS Of the base 3,413,054 11/1968 Richards ct al 313/315 X 3 Claims,4 Drawing Figures PATENIEBJMI 1 5 mm ITWVGTITOTI S teve Bovos y? M a i 1METHOD OF B-ASING ELECTRICAL DEVICES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention This invention relates, in general, to themanufacture of electric lamps and similar devices, and more particularlyto a method of electrically connecting a wire lead of such a device tothe metal shell of the base thereof.

2. Description of the Prior Art I Certain types of so-calledsubminiature size electric incandescent lamps, such as that commerciallydesignated as the No. 327 lamp, are in general use at present forindicator and instrument lighting applications. Such lamps arecustomarily comprised of a tubular glass lamp bulb or envelope of verysmall size, e.g., around 7/32 inch diameter, on one end of which ismounted, axially of the bulb, a lamp base in the form of a metal shellof slightly larger diameter than that of the bulb and flanged at itsclosed end so that the lamp can be inserted and pushed bulb end firstinto a lamp socket in an instrument or other socket-supporting panel.The bulb contains a filament connected across a pair of current lead-inwires which are sealed through the side wall of the bulb at the neck endthereof by a conventional butt-type seal. The seal or neck end of thebulb extends into an open end of and is secured to the base shell by thecustomary ring of lamp basing cement, and the wire leads areelectrically connected to the metal shell and end contact, respectively,of the lamp base. The open inner end of the base shell into which thebulb extends is formed with an inwardly rolled or inturned curved lipwithin which the bulb is snugly received to center it in place more orless axially of the base shell.

The most common manner of electrically connecting the so-called sidewire lead of an electric lamp to the base shell is to position the wirelead so as to extend out between the wall of the lamp bulb and the rimof the base shell when the base is placed in mounting position on theneck end of the bulb, and to then solder the wire lead to the outer sideof the base shell adjacent its rim. Such a procedure, however, resultsin the formation of a small mound or accumulation of solder on the outerside of the base shell and protruding therefrom. For the intended usageof the particular subminiature indicator type lamps referred to abovedesigned for bulb-endfirst slide-in insertion of the lamp into the lampsocket, such protruding solder accumulations on the base shells wouldnot be permissible since they would, in effect, block the endwisesliding insertion movement of the lamp into its socket. Accordingly,some other way of basing these types of lamps had to be developed whichwould avoid the presence of any such solder protrusions on the baseshells.

To this end, the basing procedure ultimately developed for such purposeand heretofore in customary use comprises the steps of forming the baseshell with an apertured inward indent or recess in its side wall nearthe closed outer end of the base through the aperture of which indentthe side wire leadis threaded and cut off flush with the outer side ofthe base shell, after which the cut-off wire lead is then soldered tothe base shell within the indent therein. With this modified basingprocedure, the solder accumulation at the wire-tobase shell solderconnection is concealed entirely within the indent in the base shell andthus does not protrude from the outer side thereof. However, be-

cause of the necessity for threading the side wire lead through the sideaperture in the base shell, such a modified basing procedure precludesthe use of conventional type automatic base-threading mechanisms similarto that disclosed in US Pat. No. 2,120,877-Uber, for example, which arecustomarily employed in the lamp-making art, because of the substantialcost saving realized therefrom, to automatically feed and position lampbases in mounting position on the glass bulbs of electric lamps, withthe end or center contact wire lead of the lamp bulb extending throughthe customary end contact eyelet of the base in position for solderingthereto. In their customary manner of operation, these automaticbase-threading mechanisms lower the bases down over and guide theupstanding center contact wire lead, extending endwise from the lampbulb, into and upwardly through the opening in the end contact eyelet ofthe base. Obviously, the presence of a side wire lead extendinglaterally from the lamp bulb and required to be threaded into a sideaperture in the shell of the lamp base, as in the case of the modifiedlamp basing procedure referred to above, would interfere with thelowering movement of the lamp base, by such automatic base-threadingmechanisms, down over the upstanding center wire lead of the lamp andinto mounting position on the end of the lamp bulb.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention, therefore, toprovide a novel method of electrically connecting the side wire lead ofan electric lamp to the metal shell of the lamp base thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel method ofelectrically connecting the side wire lead of an electric lamp to themetal shell of the lamp base thereof which method not only avoids theformation of any solder accumulation protruding from the outer side ofthe base shell but at the same time lends itself to the use ofconventional automatic lamp base-threading mechanism for feeding thebase into mounting position on the end of the lamp envelope.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel method ofbasing an electric lamp which avoids the formation of any solderaccumulation on the outer side of the base shell and at the same timepermits the use of conventional automatic base-threading mechanism forfeeding the base into mounting position on the envelope end.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, the sidewire lead of an as yet unbased electric lamp is formed, adjacent itsseal through the envelope wall, with a flattened section which isprovided with a coating of solder and an overcoating of solder flux andthen wedged flatwise between the wall of the glass lamp envelope and therim of the metal shell of a lamp base on placement thereof in mountingposition on the envelope following which the base shell rim is thenheated to melt the solder coating on the flattened wire lead section andsolder it to the inside wall of the base shell.

F urther objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing detailed description of a species thereof and from theaccompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the flattening of the side wirelead of an electric lamp in accordance with the lamp basing methodcomprising the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the manner of formation andpositioning of the two wire leads of the electric lamp in readiness forthe feeding and positioning of the lamp base thereon, with the flattenedsection of the side wire lead shown coated with solder;

FIG. 3 is an elevation showing the lamp base in mounting position on thelamp envelope in readiness for attachment thereto and also showing theside Wire lead formed in readiness for the soldering thereof to theinside of the base shell; and

FIG. 4 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the completed lampafter soldering of the side wire lead to the base shell and trimming offthe outer end portion of the side wire lead exposed beyond the rim ofthe base shell.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, theinvention is there illustrated as applied to the manufacture of asubminiature electric incandescent lamp such as that commerciallydesignated as the No. 327 type lamp customarily used for indicator andinstrument lighting purposes and comprising a sealed evacuated tubularglass bulb or envelope 1 of very small size, e.g., around 7/32 inchdiameter and A inch or so in length, which is closed off at its neck end2 by the residue of an exhaust tube tip 3. Sealed into the envelope 1 isa lamp mount 4 comprising a filament 5, which may be in the form of acoiled tungsten wire, connected at its ends across a pair of spacedmetal wire leads or lead-in wires 6 and 7 which are bridged and held inspaced relation by a glass support bead 8 fusion sealed to the wires 6,7. As shown, the wire leads 6, 7 are sealed through the side wall 9 ofthe envelope 1 at the neck end 2 thereof, and at locations more or lessdiametrically opposite one another, by a conventional butt-type seal. Alamp base 10 comprising a metal shell 11 and a metal end contact eyelet12 secured together by an insulator ring 13 is mounted on the neck end 2of the envelope 1. The neck end 2 of the envelope 1 extends into theopen end of, and is secured in place to the base shell 11 by a customaryring 14 of lamp basing cement. As shown, the base shell 11 is ofslightly larger diameter, e.g., around 1/32 inch or so larger diameter,than the outside diameter of the tubular glass envelope or bulb 1 so asto -permit bulbend-first insertion of the lamp into a lamp socket. Theopen inner end of the base shell 11 into which the envelope 1 extends isformed with an inwardly rolled or inturned curved lip or rim 15 withinwhich the envelope 1 is snugly received to center it in place more orless axially of the base shell. One of the wire leads, e.g., wire lead6, hereinafter referred to as the side wire lead, is electricallyconnected to the base shell 11 by soldering it thereto, while the otheror center wire lead 7 is soldered to the center or end contact eyelet 12of the lamp base 10.

In mounting the base 10 on the lamp envelope 1 and electricallyconnecting the side wire lead 6 to the metal shell 11 of the base in themanner according to the invention, the outer portion 6 of the wire lead6 extending outwardly of the envelope wall 9 from its seal therethroughis first formed so as to extend in a substantially straight directionlaterally outward from the envelope 1, as shown in FIG. 1. The outer endportion 7' of the other or center contact wire lead 7 is also preferablyformed to extend in a substantially straight direction laterally outwardfrom the envelope 1 and angled toward the tip end 3 thereof, as shown inFIG. 1. At least a section 16 of the outer side wire lead portion 6'adjacent its point of emergence from the lamp envelope 1 and which, inthe final mounted position of the base 10 on the envelope end 2, willextend and intervene between the envelope wall and the rim 15 of thebase shell 11, is then flattened in a plane transverse to the axis ofthe envelope 1, by compressing it between opposed flattening jaws 17, sothat when the outer wire lead portion 6' is bent to extend alongside theside wall of the envelope toward the'end thereof opposite its neck end2, the flattened section 16 will lie flatwise against and tangent to theenvelope side wall. The flattened section 16 of the side wire outer leadportion 6' is then provided with a coating 18 of solder, as by firstapplying a solder flux coating thereon and then pressing the fluxedflattened section 16, by means of a soldering iron, down into a pool ofmolten solder carried on a supporting platen.

After the application of the solder coating 18 thereto, the outerportions 6' and 7' of the wire leads 6, 7 are then reformed to the shapeand positioning shown in FIG. 2. As there illustrated, the outer wirelead 6 is bent to position the portion 19 thereof adjacent its point ofemergence from the side wall 9 of the envelope 1, and including at leasta portion 19 of its flattened section 16, to extend alongside the outerside of the envelope in a direction toward the end thereof opposite itsneck end 2, the remaining outer end portion 20 of the outer wire lead 6being left to extend as before in a direction laterally outward from theenvelope side wall. The center or end contact wire lead portion 7 isbent over the tip end 3 of the envelope 1 to extend endwise therefromand substantially coaxially thereof. With the outer wire lead portions6', 7' thus reformed and positioned, a lamp base 10 having a ring 14 ofuncured conventional type lamp basing cement adhered to the inner sideof its base shell adjacent but removed a short distance inwardly fromthe edge of its rim 15, is then threaded over the end contact wire leadportion 7 and placed over the neck end 2 of the envelope 1 in itsmounting position thereon as shown in FIG. 3, with the ring 14 of basingcement in contact with the side wall 9 of the envelope 1 and with theend or center contact wire lead portion 7 projecting through theaperture 21 in the end contact eyelet 12 of the base 10 and the bentportion 19 of the outer side wire lead 6, including the flattenedsection 19 thereof, extending and wedged between the rim l5 ofthe baseshell 11 and the side wall of the lamp envelope 1. Because the side wireouter lead 6 is bent to extend alongside the envelope l and toward theend thereof opposite its neck end 2 at the time of threading of the base10 over the end contact outer wire lead 7' and positioning thereof onthe neck end 2 of the envelope 1, there is nothing to interferetherefore with the placement of the base 10 over the neck end 2 of thelamp envelope other than the necessity for assuring the threading of theend contact outer wire lead 7' through the aperture 21 in the endcontact eyelet 12 of the base 10. Consequently, the lamp basing methodaccording to the invention readily lends itself and is adapted to theuse of auto matic base-threading mechanism such as is commonly employedin the lamp-making art for automatically threading lamp bases over theend .or center contact wire lead of electric incandescent lamps andpositioning them in place on the neck ends of the lamp envelopes,thereby affording the opportunity of realizing the considerable costsavings which are obtainable by the employment of such automaticbase-threading and feeding mechanism.

With the base 10 thus placed in mounting position on the neck end 2 ofthe lamp envelope 1, the envelope and the base 10 are then axiallydisplaced away from one another to expose the flattened wire leadportion 19' of the bent wire section 19 extending alongside the envelopewall, whereupon a liquid solder flux is then suitably applied, as bymeans of a dauber for instance, to the exposed flattened wire leadportion 19' extending alongside the envelope wall. The envelope 1 andbase 10 are then moved axially together and repositioned relative to oneanother to again locate the base in its final mounting position on theneck end 2 of the envelope, whereupon the exposed outer end portion 20of the outer wire lead 6 is bent upwardly, while the assembled lampenvelope 1 and base are supported as shown in a base end up position, toextend from the rim 115 of the base shell ll at an appreciable angle,for example, around 45 to the horizontal, in order to thereby induce anyof the previously applied liquid solder flux present on the exposedportion 20 of the outer wire lead 6' to flow back downwardly therealongand into contact with the rim 15 of the base shell 11.

While the envelope 1 and base 10 are thus supported in their assembledposition with the base end 10 positioned up, the rim 15 of the baseshell 11 is suitably heated, as by means of gas fires directedthereagainst, to melt the solder coating 18 on the flattened wire leadsection 19' wedged between the base shell rim l and the envelope sidewall so as to solder the flattened section 19 to the inside of the baseshell 11 as indicated at 22 in FIG. 4, thus effecting the electricalconnection of the wire lead 6 to the base shell. The heating of the baseshell to form the solder connection 22 also acts to cure the ring 114 ofbasing cement on the inside wall of the base shell so as to cause it toadhere to the side wall of the glass envelope 1, thereby fixedlysecuring the base in place on the neck end 2 of the envelope.

With the electrical connection of the side wire lead 6 to the base shell11 and the securing of the base 10 to the glass envelope 1 thuseffected, the lamp basing operation is then completed by trimming offthe excess portion 20 of the side wire lead 6' exposed beyond the rim ofthe base shell 11, as by breaking it off at the rim 15 of the baseshell, and then trimming off the excess portion of the end contact wirelead 7 exposed beyond the end contact eyelet 12 of the base 10 andsoldering the remaining wire lead portion 7' to the eyelet, as indicatedat 23, in the manner customary in the lamp-making art.

By forming, through the practice of the invention, the solder connectionof the outer side wire lead 6' to the inside of the rim 15 of the metalbase shell 11 instead of to the outside thereof as in prior customarylampbasing practice, the side wire lead solder connection 22 thereforeis located entirely within the confines of the base shell 11 and thusdoes not form a solder accumulation protruding from the outer side wirethereof such as would interfere with the bulb-end-first slidinginsertion of the completed lamp into a lamp socket. Also,

since with the manner of forming the side wire lead connection to thebase shell in accordance with the invention the base 10 can beautomatically threaded over the end contact wire lead of the lamp andplaced in mounting position on the neck end of the envelope by theemployment of conventional type automatic base threading mechanism, thelamp basing method according to the invention therefore affords theopportunity and highly important advantage of realizing the considerablemanufacturing cost saving inherent in the use of such automaticbase-threading mechanism.

I claim:

1. The method of electrically connecting the metal shell of a lamp baseto be mounted on an end of the tubular-shaped glass envelope of aminiature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealed through andemerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent the said endthereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning the said outerwire lead to extend in a substantially straight direction laterallyoutward from the said envelope, flattening that section of the saidlaterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mounted positionof the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervene betweenthe envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the said flattening ofsaid wire lead section being in a plane transverse to the axis of saidenvelope, applying a coating of solder to the said flattened wire leadsection, bending the portion of said outer wire lead adjacent its pointof emergence from the envelope, and including at least a portion of itssaid flattened section, to extend alongside the outer wall of saidenvelope in a direction toward the other end thereof, with the plane ofthe bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangent to the envelopewall, applying a solder flux to at least the said bent flattened wirelead portion extending alongside said envelope wall, positioning thelamp base over the said end of the envelope with the said bent flattenedwire lead portion extending and wedged between the wall of said envelopeand the rim of the metal shell of said base, and then heating the rim ofthe base shell and the said bent flattened wire lead portion to melt thesaid solder coating thereon and form a solder connection of the wirelead to the base shell.

2. The method of electrically connecting the metal shell of a lamp baseto be mounted on an end of the tubular-shaped glass envelope of aminiature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealed through andemerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent the said endthereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning the said outerwire lead to extend in a substantially straight direction laterallyoutward from the said envelope, flattening that section of the saidlaterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mounted positionof the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervene betweenthe envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the said flattening ofsaid wire lead section being in a plane transverse to the axis of saidenvelope, applying a coating of solder to the said flattened wire leadsection, bending the portion of said outer wire lead adjacent its pointof emergence from the envelope, and including at least a portion of itssaid flattened section, to extend alongside the outer wall of saidenvelope in a direction toward the other end thereof, with the plane ofthe bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangent to the envelopewall and with the remaining portion of said outer wire lead beyond saidbent flattened wire lead portion extending laterally outward from theenvelope, applying a liquid solder flux to at least the said bentflattened wire lead portion extending alongside said envelope wall,placing the lamp base over the said end of the envelope positioned withits said end up and with the said bent flattened wire lead portionextending downwardly and wedged between the wall of said envelope andthe rim of the metal shell of said base, bending upwardly the saidremaining outer end portion of said outer wire lead exposed beyond therim of the base shell to extend angularly upward at an appreciable anglefrom the said base shell rim so as to thereby cause the said liquidsolder flux on the said upwardly angled bent exposed portion of saidouter wire lead to flow downwardly therealong into contact with the rimof the base shell, and then heating the rim of the base shell and thesaid bent flattened wire lead portion to melt the said solder coatingthereon and form a solder connection of the wire lead to the base shell.

3. The method of electrically connecting the metal shell of a lamp baseto be mounted on an end of the tubular-shaped glass envelope of aminiature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealed through andemerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent the said endthereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning the said outerwire lead to extend in a substantially straight direction laterallyoutward from the said envelope, flattening that section of the saidlaterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mounted positionof the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervene betweenthe envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the said flattening ofsaid wire lead section being in a plane transverse to the axis of saidenvelope, applying a coating of solder to the said flattened wire leadsection, bending the portion of said solder-coated wire lead adjacentits point of emergence from the envelope, and including at least aportion of its said flattened section, to extend alongside the outerwall of said envelope in a direction toward the other end thereof, withthe plane of the bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangent tothe envelope wall and with the remaining portion of said outer wire leadbeyond said bent flattened wire lead portion extending laterally outwardfrom the envelope, placing the lamp base in its mounting position on thesaid end of the envelope positioned with its said end up, with the saidbent flattened wire lead portion extending downwardly alongside andwedged between the envelope wall and the rim of the base shell and withthe base shell enclosing the said bent flattened wire lead portion andwith the remaining portion of said outer wire lead beyond said bentflattened wire lead portion extending laterally outward from theenvelope, vertically displacing the said envelope and base away from oneanother to expose the said bent flattened wire lead portion extendingalongside said envelope wall, applying a liquid solder flux to at leastthe said exposed flattened wire lead portion extending alongside saidenvelope wall, repositioning the said envelope and base relative to oneanother to again locate the base in its mounting position on the saidend of the envelope, bending upwardly the said remaining outer endportion of said outer wire lead exposed beyond the rim of the base shellto extend angularly upward at an appreciable angle from the said baseshell rim so as to thereby cause the said liquid solder flux on the saidupwardly angled bent exposed portion of said outer wire lead to flowdownwardly therealong into contact with the rim of the base shell, andthen heating the rim of the base shell and the said bent flattened wirelead portion to melt the said solder coating thereon and form a solderconnection of the wire lead to the base shell.

1. The method of electrically connecting the metal shell of a lamp baseto be mounted on an end of the tubular-shaped glass envelope of aminiature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealed through andemerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent the said endthereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning the said outerwire lead to extend in a substantially straight direction laterallyoutward from the said envelope, flattening that section of the saidlaterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mounted positionof the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervene betweenthe envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the said flattening ofsaid wire lead section being in a plane transverse to the axis of saidenvelope, applying a coating of solder to the said flattened wire leadsection, bending the portion of said outer wire lead adjacent its pointof emergence from the envelope, and including at least a portion of itssaid flattened section, to extend alongside the outer wall of saidenvelope in a direction toward the other end thereof, with the plane ofthe bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangent to the envelopewall, applying a solder flux to aT least the said bent flattened wirelead portion extending alongside said envelope wall, positioning thelamp base over the said end of the envelope with the said bent flattenedwire lead portion extending and wedged between the wall of said envelopeand the rim of the metal shell of said base, and then heating the rim ofthe base shell and the said bent flattened wire lead portion to melt thesaid solder coating thereon and form a solder connection of the wirelead to the base shell.
 2. The method of electrically connecting themetal shell of a lamp base to be mounted on an end of the tubular-shapedglass envelope of a miniature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealedthrough and emerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent thesaid end thereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning thesaid outer wire lead to extend in a substantially straight directionlaterally outward from the said envelope, flattening that section of thesaid laterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mountedposition of the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervenebetween the envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the saidflattening of said wire lead section being in a plane transverse to theaxis of said envelope, applying a coating of solder to the saidflattened wire lead section, bending the portion of said outer wire leadadjacent its point of emergence from the envelope, and including atleast a portion of its said flattened section, to extend alongside theouter wall of said envelope in a direction toward the other end thereof,with the plane of the bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangentto the envelope wall and with the remaining portion of said outer wirelead beyond said bent flattened wire lead portion extending laterallyoutward from the envelope, applying a liquid solder flux to at least thesaid bent flattened wire lead portion extending alongside said envelopewall, placing the lamp base over the said end of the envelope positionedwith its said end up and with the said bent flattened wire lead portionextending downwardly and wedged between the wall of said envelope andthe rim of the metal shell of said base, bending upwardly the saidremaining outer end portion of said outer wire lead exposed beyond therim of the base shell to extend angularly upward at an appreciable anglefrom the said base shell rim so as to thereby cause the said liquidsolder flux on the said upwardly angled bent exposed portion of saidouter wire lead to flow downwardly therealong into contact with the rimof the base shell, and then heating the rim of the base shell and thesaid bent flattened wire lead portion to melt the said solder coatingthereon and form a solder connection of the wire lead to the base shell.3. The method of electrically connecting the metal shell of a lamp baseto be mounted on an end of the tubular-shaped glass envelope of aminiature electric lamp to an outer wire lead sealed through andemerging from the side wall of said envelope adjacent the said endthereof, which method comprises the steps of positioning the said outerwire lead to extend in a substantially straight direction laterallyoutward from the said envelope, flattening that section of the saidlaterally extending outer wire lead which, in the final mounted positionof the base on the said envelope end, will extend and intervene betweenthe envelope wall and the rim of the base shell, the said flattening ofsaid wire lead section being in a plane transverse to the axis of saidenvelope, applying a coating of solder to the said flattened wire leadsection, bending the portion of said solder-coated wire lead adjacentits point of emergence from the envelope, and including at least aportion of its said flattened section, to extend alongside the outerwall of said envelope in a direction toward the other end thereof, withthe plane of the bent flattened wire lead portion disposed tangent tothe envelope wall and with the remaining portion of said outer wire leadbeyond said bent flattened wire lead portion extending laterally outwardfrom the envelope, placing the lamp base in its mounting position on thesaid end of the envelope positioned with its said end up, with the saidbent flattened wire lead portion extending downwardly alongside andwedged between the envelope wall and the rim of the base shell and withthe base shell enclosing the said bent flattened wire lead portion andwith the remaining portion of said outer wire lead beyond said bentflattened wire lead portion extending laterally outward from theenvelope, vertically displacing the said envelope and base away from oneanother to expose the said bent flattened wire lead portion extendingalongside said envelope wall, applying a liquid solder flux to at leastthe said exposed flattened wire lead portion extending alongside saidenvelope wall, repositioning the said envelope and base relative to oneanother to again locate the base in its mounting position on the saidend of the envelope, bending upwardly the said remaining outer endportion of said outer wire lead exposed beyond the rim of the base shellto extend angularly upward at an appreciable angle from the said baseshell rim so as to thereby cause the said liquid solder flux on the saidupwardly angled bent exposed portion of said outer wire lead to flowdownwardly therealong into contact with the rim of the base shell, andthen heating the rim of the base shell and the said bent flattened wirelead portion to melt the said solder coating thereon and form a solderconnection of the wire lead to the base shell.